How are things going at the Louvre lately? Just as swimmingly as they have been for the past two months, apparently. As you’ll undoubtedly recall, in mid October a band of brazen thieves posed as construction workers to break into the world’s most-visited museum and steal more than $100 million worth of French crown jewels. The thieves have since been arrested, but the glittering jewelry has yet to be recovered. We’ve also learned since the (very easily enacted) heist that the password to the Louvre’s entire surveillance system was… “Louvre.” More than 35,000 pieces of treasured art and artifacts from around the world, and they “protected” it with a security zeal akin to using “password” as your password. Merde. So, are things finally turning around at the Louvre? Le haha! A burst pipe just damaged over 300 books on Egyptian antiquities, with what museum staff described as a “flood of dirty water.” Le ew.
When it rains, it pours at the Louvre.
The famous museum in Paris has been hit with another setback, this time a water pipe leak that has damaged at least “300 and 400” books.
The leak — which was revealed on Dec. 7 but occurred on Nov. 26 — affected a section of the Egyptian antiquities department’s library, museum deputy administrator Francis Steinbock told BFM TV.
This incident comes just weeks after chainsaw-wielding thieves broke into the Louvre and stole more than $100 million in jewelry in October.
PEOPLE reached out to representatives at the Louvre on Dec. 7, but did not receive an immediate response.
The museum’s Committee for Hygiene, Safety and Working Conditions said the pipes caused a “flood of dirty water,” according to BFM TV.
The outlet also reported the museum representative as saying the damaged books are not “precious books,” but rather they are important works that Egyptologists consult.
The rep also said repairs on the issues were scheduled for fall 2026.
Aside from the October jewelry heist, the Louvre also made headlines in November when a Louvre employee revealed that the password for the museum’s security system was “Louvre.”
The heist and the password issues appear to be unrelated to the leak.
So, “dirty water” is sewage, oui? I guess that’s fitting, cause the Louvre is having one helluva a crappy year. And look, we all go through low points in life. Plus, those of us lucky enough to age can’t escape the wear and tear done to our infrastructure. But when said infrastructure is weak enough that thieves can easily breach it — not to mention when it’s literally falling apart! — then I think it might be time to make provisions to safely evacuate the hordes of precious art. Toot suite, preferably. This isn’t me kicking an institution when they’re down! (Except for the stupidly guessable password, that was a kickworthy offense.) This is me telling the Louvre, as une amie, to take the time you need for a little (or heaping ton of) self care. Go on, bring yourself up to 21st century building code and security capabilities! Then you can have the Mona Lisa back. She’s survived five centuries and two world wars; don’t let her ultimate demise be “shat on by a pipe.”
Photos credit: Kadir Avşar, Anna Shvets and Wellington Silva on Pexels
I flipping can’t with these majority white countries – or close to or working to keep the majority white – holding onto the cultural history of other nations as their entitled right.
It’s disgusting. The talking point is always that these museums keep these items “safe” for these backwards cultures that can’t be expected to treasure they own history.
Especially when the safe argument is xenophobic abuse AND patently false!
The British museum has a basement full of unopened and uncategorized crates of items stolen from other nations. A museum curator was selling items from these crates on eBay ffs!
And the Louve let these priceless cultural pieces get covered in sewage.
So safe. So respectful. Ugh. Colonizers.
preach!
I went to the Louvre in July and our guide made a point to emphasize that their museum was full of things paid for, not looted. Whether they were bought at fair market, or encouraged lotting by others, I don’t know. If they’re keeping treasures of indigenous groups, I haven’t seen the same coverage as the British museum, which made a law they couldn’t give things back because they didn’t want to.
Also when I was there, we did see the jewel exhibit that got robbed, and at the time I thought wow, they must have some kind of booby traps in these beautiful furniture looking cases, and joked about snipers. The fact that they didn’t even have a camera pointed at it 😂. Very arrogant.
Here’s what I don’t understand – entrance to the Louvre is not cheap. I get that it’s a giant building and the upkeep must be astronomical, but they make so much on entry fees alone and then there must be grants and donations… why are they not doing upkeep???
When I was there it was the month of May and it was PACKED. I can’t believe they don’t have the funds & if you know there is an issue with the pipes, you need to fix it right away or store your shit in plastic totes.
So much for keeping stuff safe. 😒😒😒😒🙄🙄🙄🙄
Having spent a lot of time in various parts of France for my job, and watched the many maintenance & construction workers day drink vigorously & regularly, this plumbing disaster surprises me not at all. Though I also say this with great affection for the place.
I don’t know their specific funding structure, so what I’m about to share may not be directly applicable to thr Louvre. That said, I have worked for a museum within a US city governance system. Out of the three museums under the umbrella of the city, we by far had the highest attendance. And yet, we received the least money from the city in return. All the attendance earnings from all the cultural orgs went back into one umbrella pot. And that was overseen by the head of one of the other orgs and city management. And theater and non problematic music was of higher priority to them than a museum whose objects and staff supported evolution and diversity, etc. So my experience is that your org’s budget may not be directly linked to your attendance/sales.
Wow.
Their password was the actual name of the name of their building?
I can’t lol